30 lost bikes, jewelry auctioned to students

Cal State Long Beach’s junk has become students’ treasure.

CSULB’s Property Office hosted the “Lost and Found Auction & Sale” yesterday at the East Friendship Walk, where students gathered to dig through boxes and inspect bicycles at the sale.

Held for the first time in two years, the auction featured items that had been sitting in lost and found locations for three months or longer.

“We’re doing this to promote reuse and (going) green,” Director of Support Services Ellie Christov, who oversaw the event and auctioned off items, said.

Michelle McCausland, an undeclared freshman, bought a tennis racket, a pair of sunglasses and some jewelry at the sale, all for $12. She said her purchases were “pretty sweet.”

About 30 bikes were auctioned off at the sale, including an Outlook Diamondback that had a missing peddle. It sold for $100.

“It’s for my kid,” said the winner, Byron Merlos, a program developer for enrollment services. “He outgrew the last one.”

Merlos estimated that the bike would be worth $250 new in stores. Some bikes were sold for as little as $2.

Alex Sanchez, a senior engineering major, bought a Huffy Cranbrook for $11. New Cranbrook bikes range from $88 to $199 on Walmart.com.

The bike had a dent, flat tire and a torn seat. Sanchez said he was attracted to it by the price and that he needed a bike to get around campus.

“It just needs a new seat, really,” he said.

All but three bikes and some bike scraps were sold.

Christov said everything the Property Office didn’t sell would be donated to Goodwill.

In addition to the bikes that were auctioned off, several electronics were sold including a laptop and five camcorders.

There are seven locations on campus to drop off lost items, including the University Bookstore, the library, the University Student Union and the Horn Center.